King Midas: a Romance eBook

At any rate, as Helen rose from the piano she received
a complete ovation, everyone coming to her to thank
her and to praise her, and to share in the joy of
her beauty; she herself had never been more radiant
and more exulting in all her exulting life, drinking
in even Mr. Harrison’s rapturous compliments
and finding nothing exaggerated in them. And
in the meantime, Aunt Polly having suggested a waltz
to close the festivities, the furniture was rapidly
moved to one side, and the hostess herself took her
seat at the piano and struck up the “Invitation
to the Dance;” Mr. Harrison, who had been at
Helen’s side since her singing had ceased, was
of course her partner, and the girl, flushed and excited
by all the homage she had received, was soon waltzing
delightedly in his arms. The man danced well,
fortunately for him, and that he was the beautiful
girl’s ardent admirer was by this time evident,
not only to Helen, but to everyone else.

In the mood that she was then, the fact was as welcome
to her as it could possibly have been, and when, therefore,
Mr. Harrison kept her arm and begged for the next
dance, and the next in turn, Helen was sufficiently
carried away to have no wish to refuse him; when after
the third dance she was tired out and sat down to rest,
Mr. Harrison was still her companion.

Helen was at the very height of her happiness then,
every trace of her former vexation gone, and likewise
every trace of her objections to the man beside her.
The music was still sounding merrily, and everyone
else was dancing, so that her animation did not seem
at all out of taste; and so brilliant and fascinating
had she become, and so completely enraptured was Mr.
Harrison, that he would probably have capitulated
then and there if the dancing had not ceased and the
company separated when it did. The end of all
the excitement was a great disappointment to Helen;
she was completely happy just then, and would have
gone just as far as the stream had carried her.
It being her first social experience was probably
the reason that she was less easily wearied than the
rest; and besides, when one has thus yielded to the
sway of the senses, he dreads instinctively the subsiding
of the excitement and the awakening of reason.

The awakening, however, is one that must always come;
Helen, having sent away the maid, suddenly found herself
standing alone in the middle of her own room gazing
at herself in the glass, and seeing a frightened look
in her eyes. The merry laughter of the guests
ceased gradually, and silence settled about the halls
of the great house; but even then Helen did not move.
She was standing there still when her aunt came into
the room.

Mrs. Roberts was about as excited as was possible
in a matron of her age and dignity; she flung her
arms rapturously around Helen, and clasped her to
her. “My dear,” she cried, “it
was a triumph!”

“Yes, Auntie,” said Helen, weakly.

“You dear child, you!” went on the other,
laughing; “I don’t believe you realize
it yet! Do you know, Helen, that Mr. Harrison
is madly in love with you? You ought to be the
happiest girl in the land tonight!”